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Show Fontella. BY ADRIKNNE ltOUCOl.l.K. Copyright, law. by Unity Blory I'ub. Col Him had often noticed him In the ring, aa villi smiling lips hf waited fur Hie furious attacke of the mail-dened mail-dened bull. At tint bin courage In the face of danger, his proud ib-Manco, hli dark, handsome face and graceful carriage won lirr admiration, and later thla admiration, aided by a romantic disposition, rlteneil Into Invo. As to him, though he admired tier magical boauly and her dulntlncss of form, lie waa not blinded to the, distance which separated hliu, Joao Nnrvczzo, the matador, and aba Fontella Adroverso, the governor's daughter. BUM, when he knew (hat her dark eyes rented upon blm, hla form atralKhtencd, hla llpa curled In that dladalnful amlle of bravery which made blm the favorite of the rlnic, and hla sword would bury Itaelf with unerring aim Into the bull a flesh. When a woman of Fontella'a type lovea It la with a paaalon which nothing noth-ing can quench and no obitacle can atop. How ahe managed to meet blm (or the flrat time, how ahe drew him on to ber until hla admiration of the Diet daya became the couquerlng paaalon paa-alon of hla life, will never be known; sufficient to aay that before many weeka Joae bad forgotten tbe dlatance which aeparated their two deatlnlca and be baa aaked Fontella to become 'hla wife. Bhe remained allent for anme time after he had apoken that avowal of love for which ahe bad waited, and with her dark eyea fixed upon blm la a eearching gaze ehe Boomed to try to penetrate he very deptha of bla ' eoul. After awhile ahe 'aid: . r' "Are ywd aure It la me you love, not I '-"-"any wealth, not my social poaitlon, not the fact that I am Kontclla, the gov-ernor'a gov-ernor'a daughter?" A flnab of anger glittered for an Instant In-stant In the luatador'a eyea, but thla waa Boon softened by an expression of pain aa be sadly replied: "You have the right to eipreas that doubt, Kontclla, for what am I when compared with you? What havo 1 be-aldea be-aldea my courage to offer you? I waa mad, pardon my folly, for a paaalon atronger than my reason forced me to apeak. Nothing 1 could aay could prove the sincerity of my suutluienta, and rather than to have them doubted 1 prefer to leave you." He moved a atep away aa though 'o leave her, but ahe extended her brad and with a aoftculug In ber haug.ity voice, aald: "Joae, 1 believe you." He returned to her, bla eyea burning wltb paaalon; he eelied her bands and la preaaure which waa almost cruel lie cried: "You believe my sentiments, but do you return them? Do you love me aa I do you?" -I do." "Then you shall be mine, Fontella: (be aoclal barriers which separate us can surely be surmounted. Love will find the way." "Love Is powerful, but the governor of thla province Is more so," she remarked, re-marked, "and my father will never conaent to our union. Still I have a "Are you sure I. Is me that you love, and not my wealth and aoclal position ?" plan; I can force my father's consent. con-sent. When will you have the next light?" "Next Wednesday. I m to fight Devllcto, the terrible black bull from Mexico. lie has killed seven matadors mata-dors during the season. " Bhe shivered; that record frightened fright-ened her, but, overcoming this momentary mo-mentary emotion, ahe aald: "You shall conquer. I.ove will give you strength vi aa reward I promise you that you shall have me aa your bride. Farewell!" Hut your plan what la ii? How can you win your father'a consent? Tell nie what you Intend to do?" "You shall know Wednesday. Until then live In hopes, and almve all, conquer your foe." And ahe waa gone. T.le Tiara do Toroa waa crowded, fur today the attraction waa doubled; besides their favorito matador, Joso Nnrvczo. tiny were In have the famous bull Dovlleto. who had already killed aeven men and many horaea. Tlin sMirt promised to bo bloody, yet women nnd young glrla wero there In holiday attire, casting from behind their fans coquettish glances to tho men, laughing, smiling, happy aa though they were hero at an ordinary entertainment, not a speclaolo in which blood would flow and perhape where huniaa lire would be destroyed. They would In an Instant be as ready to cheer the victorious bull as the matador, who would remain their Mf The animal gave on 1 wi of rage then fell rolling to the found, favorite aa long aa be i'cui.uncd un-conquered. un-conquered. Tbe blaring of trumpets announced that the spectacle would soon begin, the picadors and bandiirllloros In their resplendent costuinea on tbose proud horsoa which, before long, would He dead on the sand of the arena, and the matador, more haudaome, more calm than ever, made their appearance and paraded around the arena. The abow had begun. Joae looked eagerly toward the governors gov-ernors aeat. He waa there, but alone. Konlclla was not with him. A feeling feel-ing of disappointment- came to him. Thla was followed by a doubt which paled his cheek. Had ahe duped blm, had she played a comedy for the aake of having him, the unconquered, at ber feet? But this thought, Instead of weakening his courage, caused him to straighten his tall form; be would show her that he waa a man who could be victorious In spite of all. Tbose who watched bis face at that moment murmured: "Narveizo will conquer; auch a look of reaolutlon novor courta failure." When the bull entered It waa eaay to ace that the storlos told of hia vicious temper had not been overeatlmated. Ho was a beautiful animal, jet black In color, wltb long, eharp borns and eves that burned like coala. hla heav ing flanks, switching tsll and the manner In which he scattered tbe sand with his paw showed that he was used to this display and tbat he was only too ready to do his part. It did not last long; In a few In-stanta In-stanta four horsea lay bleeding on the aand, torn open by those terrible horns. One picador waa dead; blood waa everywhere. Still the iana In women's hands went backward and forward In lazy Indolence, while eyes which teemed to have been made only for tenderness gazed wltb evldout satisfaction sat-isfaction upon the gory acene. At laat the matador entered. Joae Narvezzo never apearod ao calm, so proudly Indifferent aa today. In hla right hand be held the aword, with which he was to slay tbe now maddened mad-dened bull. For an Inataut they atood face to face, the man and the beaat. Then, with a bellow of rage, the animal ani-mal charged bla new enemy. Jose did not move, hla aword waa ready; Just aa the bull came up to blm be raised the weaion, hut It fell on one if the horns and broke Itself In two. "He baa loat, tho bull baa won!" rose on every able. Hut no, he bad nut loat! In one leap he had Jumped to one aide, the bull charged on, burying bla borna In tbe sand a llttlo dlatance away. This gave Jose time to take a aword which one of tbe men handed blm, and when once more the battled bull turned vpoa blm wltb renewed fury be waa ready, aword in band, a amlle of da fiance on his Hps, a strange expres-alon expres-alon in the eyea. Thla time the asord did Its work, fur aa tho bull rushed upon him the aecond time be plunged It to the hilt Into the quivering Mesh. The animal cave one howl of rage and pain, then fell rolling to the ground. The man had conquered tho beaat; tbe spectacle of bltKid waa at an ene. The cruwd. mad with enthusiasm, cheered the conqueror; women cried aa they caat their rings or Jewels Into the ring; men threw money. The matador waa reaping hla golden harvest. har-vest. Suddenly a deep bush followed the clamor. All eyea turned In one direction toward tbe door which admitted ad-mitted the performers Into the ring. Jose, surprised by tbe alienee, turned also, and could scarcely retain an exclamation ex-clamation as he saw Fontella coming toward him, picking her way amid tba dead horses. When ahe got up to him ahe pauaed and In tones which rang clear and loud In tho allenco aald: "Jose Narvezzo, you have conquered today the fiercest bull In Spain. Others have cast their tributes of gold at your feet; I bring you mine. Here la my hand; take It if you want It, I am yours for life." Tho scandal waa great. Tho governor gov-ernor was furious, but Fontella had won. After that scene at the bull fight It waa Impossible for him to refuse bis conaent, so somo two months later Narvezzo, having loft the ring, became Fontella'a husband, once more proving prov-ing tho saying that when there la a will there la a way. |